No Flash on wedding

Has anyone get away with no flash in the church ceremony and using only fast primes?

here's some of my shots during 1st communion.

All by Sigma 17-50 at ISO1600 F2.8 @ 1/60th - NO FLASH

That looks fine and if I can get away without using flash in the church during the ceremony I grab it.

Your 60D should handle 1600 ISO easily and even bumped up another step too.

I almost never use flash during the ceremony, and I barely use it at all except indoor formals and the reception.

snakeman55 wrote in post #14895149
I almost never use flash during the ceremony

same

Most churches have window light. Try shooting a ceremony in a venue with no windows and see what you get.

Great looking photo's. Particularly like the second.

What PP did you do?

Actually the church allows us to use flash but i thought I can do better candids without it. Less intimidating and noticeable. Also I wish to use High Speed Burst to capture some perfect moments and natural smiles.


@ Gweebs. Just minor tweaking in LR and using the Topaz DeNoise 5.01 plugins for photoshop to clean the noise.

thanks for all your replies guys.

I actually used artificial light at a wedding ceremony for the first time ever last weekend (in 4.5 years). It was just the couple, the officiant and myself and we were in a house (Southfork, actually, from the series Dallas lol) and it was like a cave except two windows behind and to the side.. so I set up a softbox. It is ALWAYS my preference to shoot without flash. These shots look like that's a pretty easy church to shoot in!

Shot this before with no flash.

ISO1600 f/4.0 @ 1/80th of a second. What do you think?

auroraskye wrote in post #14895749
I actually used artificial light at a wedding ceremony for the first time ever last weekend (in 4.5 years). It was just the couple, the officiant and myself and we were in a house (Southfork, actually, from the series Dallas lol) and it was like a cave except two windows behind and to the side.. so I set up a softbox. It is ALWAYS my preference to shoot without flash. These shots look like that's a pretty easy church to shoot in!

Totally agree. If the light is not there you have to create it. As long as everyone agrees

Unless lighting levels are very low and flash is allowed, I usually stick with available light.

I usually use the 24L and 70-200 f2.8 IS MKII for the aisle walk. During the ceremony, I'll use several lenses depending on what I want to go for.

Typically I am at 1/160, f2.8, ISO2000-4000.

Nick have you tried going solo and changing lenses, does it bother you? I wanna go solo for this so I don't have to think much of the other shooter and focus on my thing.

I'm trying to rent another body to avoid changing Lens. or buy t3i in amazon and return.

snakeman55 wrote in post #14895149
I almost never use flash during the ceremony, and I barely use it at all except indoor formals and the reception.

same here. 5d3 and 1d4 allow very usable shots up to iso 6400, and even higher if you're careful. makes white balance editing MUCH easier later AND i feel its a more natural look in the ceremony.

For the first shots you show, I think using the light that is available is beautiful. I think you did a great job with those.

However, for the group shots, I would have deffinately lit it with either a few flashes on umbrellas, or a strobe with my octabox. With the light levels being so nice as they are, filling in the groups with some light would be excellent.

Thanks Bryan. Guess what i just ordered 5d mk iii and the 60d is now a backup. Now i have a little more freedom with iso.

Your input is noted.